Zero broke into a sweat.

"Jude is a real people person." Carl continued "Smart, savvy. The boy thrives on crisis management and can turn any bad situation into a touchdown. Now I know you know this." Carl crossed his arms over his chest and then went in for the kill "You trust me, don't you? That's why you came back isn't it?"

All the guilt and betrayal Zero had lived with seeped back in. "Okay." He said, even though his stomach was knotting.

"Jude's one for the job."

Without warning Carl's door swung open. 

As if summoned Jude breezed inside and Zero's gut churned with a sudden, burning need. Jude hadn't changed, Carl's youngest nephew was still a handsome honey eyed young man with a healthy shade of chestnut hair. His features were patrician but his attitude and aura were all New York opulence.

Without sparing him a glance Jude placed a folded file on his uncle's desk "You'll never guess what I've got in here." He glanced up then stopped short meeting Zero's gaze. Jude's porcelain-like skin flushed a damned attractive shade of pink and Zero was glad he affected him too.

Uncle Carl spoke up "We were just talking about you, meet Zero your newest client, Zero this is Jude your head publicist."

"Everyone in the business knows Zero." He said obviously playing to his ego, "But I thought I mentioned meeting him before."

If he had been flustered he wasn't now. He stepped forward "Nice to see you again." He extended his hand for a shake, professionally confident.

What should've been a business handshake was electrified by a sizzling connection instead. Zero might've have sucked in school but he knew this kind of chemistry and theirs was just as strong as their first meeting. "Nice to know I still have a reputation to speak of." He forced out a laugh.

Jude didn't laugh, he sat back in the empty seat next to Zero's. "So we're working together?" his voice came out a touch hoarser than before.

Zero cleared his throat. "Your uncle thinks we'll make a good team."

"I'm sure you're mistaken," Jude said, his eyes twinkling with challenge. "Uncle Carl knows I work solo. Any client I take has to agree to go on my rules and cue. Otherwise, I can't promise results."

"I'm sure we can find some middle ground," Zero assured Jude not looking at Carl who merely watched from the sidelines. "So what's in the folder, its pink?"

"I hate pink, folder isn't mine but..." Jude reached for the folder zipping it open to reveal a couple of pictures for Uncle Carl.

"What the fuck is that?" his uncle barked.

"According to the shelter, he's a Cotton De Tulear. Can you imagine someone abandoned a sweet puppy like this? Papers and all?"

"It's a what?" his uncle and Zero exclaimed at the same time.

"A Cotton." Jude explained, "You know like a bichon frise." He said as though that would make more sense. Jude took the pictures again from his uncle's hand and smiled so brightly in a way that contagious and left Zero speechless and wishful. Wishfully wishing he could trade places with the cotton or whatever that puppy was.

" So you took him for yourself?" Zero raised his finely shaped brows.

"I couldn't let them put her down." Jude defended his choice without looking at the man.

"These kids have been hiding strays for as long as they've been with me. Jude here says ..."

"Zero doesn't want to hear childhood stories," Jude said cutting his uncle.

"Actually I don't mind at all." Zero wasn't lying.

"Well, I do." Jude met the retired athlete's gaze.

Carl cleared his throat "Ok so you have electricity, phone service and internet back at the lodge yeah?"

"Most of the time." Zero replied, nerved.

"Good because we can't spare anyone else to tag along with Jude right now. So you two can go up there. Jude will assess the damage, relay it to us and tell us what he thinks."

Jude asked, "So where's the lodge located?"

"Upstate. About an hour half from the city" Zero replied.

"Give directions to Linda or better yet my assistant. I'll wrap up things around here. Leave in the morning and be there by noon tomorrow. Once I get up to speed, I'll comprise a game plan. Then reach you to put the mechanics in place." Jude said.

He seemed to have a no-nonsense way of directing things around him but reach you it was clear to Zero Jude didn't know where he would be staying.

"Well since I'm staying overnight in the city, I'll pick you up whenever's convenient and drive you upstate myself." He countered neglecting to mention the living arrangements, he figured Carl would take care of that.

"I'd rather have my own car." Jude bored straight in Zero's eyes.

He really didn't want to be in the former quarterback's car. The flaming red Porsche or the yellow Lamborghini he'd been photographed in numerous times. The last picture before his knee injury showed him waltzing out of the Waldorf after a night out with reality TV starlets in sparkling mini dresses.

"And I'd rather you be in mine."

Uncle Carl saw this argument going nowhere and made the decision for his stubborn nephew "I think it's best to just let Zero drive you, Jude."

"Fine. Pick me up in front of my building at three, I'll airdrop you the address. Meanwhile, may I ask what people will think I'm doing up there? From what I understand so far, its a smalltown?" 

It was; the kind of hometown where everyone knows everyone and likes to talk about everyone.

He shook his head "No one needs to know my business."